Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Senior Congress MLA Jitu Patwari boycotted the customary governor’s address on the first day of the budget session of Madhya Pradesh state assembly on Monday.
The issue was raised in the House after which leader of Opposition Kamal Nath said that it was Patwari’s individual decision and not Congress.
Soon after Governor Mangubhai Patel’s address and his exit from the House, parliamentary affairs minister Narottam Mishra raised the issue. Mishra said that the governor's address has always been kept above the politics.
“Leader of Opposition should clarify his stand on boycott of governor’s address by Congress MLA Jitu Patwari that he announced through Twitter. How did he know the contents of the governor's address that he decided to boycott it,” said Mishra.
Leader of Opposition, Nath said that he agrees with Mishra’s view that governor’s address should remain above politics. “It was Patwari’s individual decision and not Congress party’s decision,” said Nath in the House.
Speaker Girish Gautam said that one needs to understand if Patwari has opposed the governor’s address or the governor. He also expressed concern over the leak of the governor's address before being read in the House.
Senior Congress MLA Laxman Singh said that if the House is concerned over leak of governor’s address then one should also be concerned over leak of budget details in the newspapers before being tabled in Assembly.
Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan clarified that some newspapers publish news on the basis of their experience and estimates. Budget is confidential and will remain so, said Chouhan.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan also criticized Patwari, saying governor's address is above the politics.
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